Solenostemon plant named ‘Monkey Island’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Solenostemon  plant named ‘Monkey Island’, characterized by its vigorous, upright growth habit, the width of its leaves measuring at about 5 cm, and its foliage pattern of splotches of maroon, medium green, green, white, pink, and red.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Solenostemonscutellarioides.

Variety denomination: ‘Monkey Island’.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH

None.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The presently-disclosed invention relates to a new and distinct cultivarof Solenostemon plant botanically knows as Solenostemon scutellarioidesand hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Monkey Island’.

The new cultivar ‘Monkey Island’ was discovered in the gravelimmediately under the germination beds in the Memphis Zoo EastGreenhouse of Memphis, Tenn. in March 2012. The parents of the cultivarare unknown at this time.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been conducted by terminalstem cuttings since March 2012. It has been demonstrated that the newcultivar reproduces true to type with all the characteristics, as hereindescribed, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations ofsuch asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Monkey Island’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Solenostemon plant:

-   -   1. Foliage pattern resembles an artist's palette: mixed        splotches of maroon, medium green, green, white, pink, and red.    -   2. Leaf margins are gently scalloped by 5 cm.    -   3. Vigorous, upright growth habit.

Of the many commercially available Solenostemon cultivars, a similarcultivar is Painted Nettle ‘Careless Love’ (not patented). However, inside by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar, ‘Monkey Island’,differ in the following characteristics:

Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage color difference in that‘Careless Love’ has two colors and ‘Monkey Island’ exhibits up to sixcolors per leaf.

Plants of the new cultivar have a more deeply scalloped leaf margin by 2cm than plants of ‘Careless Love’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, andtypical foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the color values sited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Monkey Island’.The plants were grown in 6 flats of 1801s for 12 weeks in a greenhouseand later planted in several locations throughout the Memphis Zoo inMemphis, Tenn. The age of the plant is four months.

FIG. 1 illustrates a view of the overall growth and habit of ‘MonkeyIsland’ in container at Memphis Zoo Greenhouse.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘MonkeyIsland’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has been observed in a greenhouse setting and outsideenvironment. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, lightintensity and day length without any variance in the genotype. The ageof the plant is four months.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined under natural lightconditions in Memphis, Tenn. on Jan. 28, 2014 between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00p.m.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom cuttings from the original stock plant and grown in a glass-coveredgreenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercialpractice. The plants were grown in Memphis, Tenn. in six flats of 1801sfor 12 weeks utilizing a soilless growth medium (Fafard 3B). Greenhousetemperatures were maintained at 60 degrees F. to 70 degrees F. (15.6° C.to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately 55 degrees F. to 60degrees F. (12.8° C. to 15.6° C.) during the night. Measurements andnumerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Solenostemon scutellarioides cultivar    ‘Monkey Island’.-   Parentage: Unknown.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 4 to 10 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 22 to 25            days.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from a            rooted cutting to finish in a 10 cm pot.        -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous, upright.        -   Size.—Plant Height: From soil level to top of plant plane:            Approximately 76.2 cm. Plant Width: Approximately 48.9 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal            branching.        -   Quantity of lateral branches per plant.—Approximately 9.        -   Branch.—Strength: Strong. Shape: Square in cross section.            Length of lateral branch: Approximately 12.9 cm. Diameter of            lateral branch at central internode: Approximately 5.5 mm.            Length of central internode of lateral branch: Approximately            3.5 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent with short hairs. Color            of young and mature stems: N77D.-   Foliage description:    -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per main stem:            Approximately 8. Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement:            Opposite.        -   Leaves.—Aspect: Petiole is at an acute angle to stem; leaf            blade transitions to an obtuse angle with age. Shape:            obovate. Margin: Scalloped. Apex: Mucronate. Base: Truncate.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf: 11.2 cm.            Width of mature leaf: 6.1 cm. Texture of upper surface:            Sparsely pubescent. Texture of lower surface: Sparsely            pubescent with dense pubescence on venation. Color of upper            surface of young foliage: Irregular distribution of 59A,            53A, 2C, and 145A looking like a painter's palette. Color of            lower surface of young foliage: Irregular distribution of            59A, 53A, 2C, and 145A looking like a painter's palette.            Color of upper surface of mature foliage: Irregular            distribution of 59A, 53A, 2C, 145A, 61C, and 91D looking            like a painter's palette. Color of lower surface of mature            foliage: Irregular distribution of 59A, 53A, 2C, 145A, 61C,            and 91D looking like a painter's palette. Venation is            indistinguishable from lamina.        -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 4.5 cm. Width: Approximately            2.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: N77D.-   Flowering description: Flowers are ornamentally insignificant for    this variety. They are pinched off to keep the plant from going to    seed and to create a bushier look for the plant. Flowers observed    were on a stalk 8 cm long. The florets were opposite. Color: 97A.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease, and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests    common to Solenostemon has not been observed.-   Cold hardiness: The plant described as ‘Monkey Island’ is best grown    as an annual for its color. It is hardy in Zone 9 down to 50    degrees.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Solenostemon plantnamed ‘Monkey Island’, substantially as herein illustrated anddescribed.